José de León Toral

Case summary

José de León Toral (Matehuala, 23 December 1900 — Mexico City, 9 February 1929) was a Roman Catholic militant who assassinated general Álvaro Obregón, president elect of Mexico in 1928.

Background

León Toral was born in a family of Catholic miners in the state of San Luis Potosí. León Toral moved to Mexico City during the Mexican Revolution. He witnessed the constitutionalist general Obregón closing churches and arresting priests who were suspected of collaboration with the dictator Victoriano Huerta. In 1920 he joined the League for the Defense of Religious Freedom, which opposed the governments of Obregón (1920–1924) and Plutarco Elías Calles. He reportedly was also involved in the Cristero movement.

The offence

León Toral decided he should murder Obregón after:

• two of his friends, Humberto and Miguel Pro, were executed after having been convicted of plotting to assassinate Obregón, and it was described as possibly wrongly convicted;
• he was incited by a Catholic nun, Concepción Acevedo de la Llata (La Madre Conchita). On 17 July 1928, two weeks after Obregón had been elected president, León Toral entered La Bombilla, a restaurant in San Ángel, during a banquet organized to honor general Obregón. He disguised himself as a caricaturist. León Toral made a caricature of Obregón and Aarón Saénz and showed it to Obregón. Obregón told him the drawing had good likeness and suggested he continue. After Obregón turned around to sit down, León Toral suddenly drew a gun and shot him five of six times in the back. Obregón died immediately.

Arrest

León Toral was arrested immediately. He pleaded guilty and claimed he killed Obregón in order to facilitate the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ.

Trial and sentencing

León Toral was sentenced to death. Madre Conchita (Concepción Acevedo de la Llata) was also arrested and reveived a 30 year prison sentence.

Outcome

León Toral was executed by firing squad in February 1929. His last words were “¡Viva Cristo Rey!”, the battle cry of the Cristeros.

People involved

• Álvaro Obregón — general; president elect of Mexico in 1928; victim.
• Aarón Saénz — present during the banquet; mentioned in connection with the caricature.
• Concepción Acevedo de la Llata (La Madre Conchita) — Catholic nun; incited León Toral; arrested; received a 30 year prison sentence.
• Humberto — León Toral’s friend; executed after being convicted of plotting to assassinate Obregón.
• Miguel Pro — León Toral’s friend; executed after being convicted of plotting to assassinate Obregón.
• Victoriano Huerta — dictator; referenced in connection with priests suspected of collaboration.
• Plutarco Elías Calles — referenced as a government opposed by the League for the Defense of Religious Freedom.

Places

• Matehuala — León Toral’s place of birth.
• San Luis Potosí — state where León Toral’s family of Catholic miners lived.
• Mexico City — where León Toral moved during the Mexican Revolution and where he died.
• La Bombilla — restaurant in San Ángel where he entered during a banquet.
• San Ángel — location of La Bombilla.
• Mexico — country context for the League for the Defense of Religious Freedom and the Cristero movement.

Other details

León Toral’s last words were “¡Viva Cristo Rey! (Long Live Christ the King!)”. The execution was by firing squad in February 1929.